Crutcher Scott Field - Abilene Christian Wildcats
- Terry McCutchen
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Park
555 Walnut St
Abilene, TX 79601
Year Opened: 1991
Capacity: 4,000
ACU Baseball
Established as a hub of the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1881, Abilene, Texas quickly became a regional economic center and centerpiece for the “Big Country”. Dubbed Key City, Abilene has maintained its importance to the west-central area of Texas for nearly 150 years since.
Abilene Christian is the largest and most prominent of three Christian universities in this city of over 100,000 citizens. Its roots run deep and the influence from its alumni is vast.
ACU athletics competes at the NCAA Division I level, with its baseball team competing in the Western Athletic Conference. The baseball program, formed in 1955, competed at the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels until being disbanded in 1978. Thanks to fundraising efforts by MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, however, the baseball program was reinstated in 1991. Ryan’s former MLB teammate, Wildcat alumnus Bill Gilbreth, was tapped as the first coach of the newly reinstated program. Since its rebirth, the ACU baseball program has seen its facilities upgraded with many modern amenities, and has grown into a solid mid-major NCAA Division I team; from 2021-2023, ACU was the 3rd winningest mid-major program with 101 wins.
Since its most recent renovation, “The Crutch” seats a total of 1566, which includes 959 theatre-style seats that are accessible via a large stairwell on the first base side, or via ramps on either the first or third base side of the concession stand. The general admission and reserved seating sections are divided, and can be accessed by different ramps and stairways; GA seats on the home side (first base) are accessed from a raised concourse that feeds down into the seating bowl.
There is also an elevator for fans needing accommodation, and all the folding seats in the venue are in the shade. Restroom facilities are located at both the ground level and on the concourse level, located on the first base corner of the press box.
Food & Beverage 3
Concession options at Crutcher Scott Field include standard ballgame fare. Cash, credit/debit cards, and ACU campus Bean Bucks are all accepted. Food options include solely the basics like hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pickles, and candy. Pickles, ice cream bars, and candy cost $3, while popcorn and hot dogs are $4. Nachos and chili dogs are $6, with the chili nachos being the most expensive item on the menu at $7. Condiment tables with napkins and forks are located across the concourse from most concession stands.
Beverages are served in plastic bottles, with no souvenir cups available. Coca-Cola is the drink provider, which means Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Dasani bottled water, Gold Peak tea, Body Armor, Smartwater, and Powerade are among the offerings. The stands also sell Monster Energy Drinks, but no alcohol is available, nor is it allowed on ACU’s campus. Most of the drinks cost $4, with Monster and Smartwater costing $5 each.
There is only one concession stand here, located just inside the front gate of the stadium, easily accessible from either side of the stands. This is adequate for most of the games on the schedule, since crowds at baseball games here average between 400 to 600 fans.
Atmosphere 3
While 400-600 fans per game is average, attendance spiked for high-profile mid-week games against high-level Power 4 programs such as Texas Tech, TCU, and Baylor. There is an emcee that leads two or three between-inning games during the day to involve the crowd, including frozen t-shirt contests, races from foul pole to foul pole, and a dizzy bat race. There are also a couple of innings where there are trivia questions or guessing games on the HD videoboard. The production team misses some opportunities, however, by underutilizing the board, since there are no live camera feeds to it. A simple live crowd feed would allow them to include the fans in activities such as the Simba cam, kiss cam, and dance contests, among others.
The PA system can be heard clearly from anywhere in the park. As mentioned above, there is a nice HD scoreboard that is located beyond the right field fence, which is clearly visible from every seat in the stands.
Neighborhood 4
Abilene Christian, located on the eastern edge of the University Hills neighborhood of Abilene, is surrounded by a mixture of mid-century single-family homes, duplexes, and condos that are popular with students, faculty, and short-term vacation rentals. Traditionally a safe and quiet area of town, this Rockwellian setting is slowly showing signs of modernization through business development north and east of the university, as well as urban renewal one home at a time. Paired with the school’s desire to compete academically and athletically with top-tier schools across the US, Abilene Christian’s campus has grown into a beautiful gem on “The Hill”.
Within a short drive, visitors will find numerous dining and sleeping options. In addition to multiple Airbnb and Vrbo listings near campus, there are multiple hotels within a couple miles of the facility, including Courtyard by Marriott, Home2 Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and Comfort Suites, among others. I would suggest searching the whole Abilene area for accommodations, however, due to multiple federal construction projects in the area occupying much of the rental and hotel space in the city. Prices can be elevated and rooms limited, especially during high traffic times.
Dining options within a short drive of the stadium are varied, with choices ranging from drive-thru fast food to fine dining restaurants. Located catty-corner from Anthony Field, ACU’s football venue, you will find Allen Ridge, a retail and dining center featuring lakeside dining options, a playground, and walking trail. Restaurants found in Allen Ridge include Twisted Root Burger Company, Cork and Pig Tavern, Phoenix Pho, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. With ample parking across the street from both the ballpark and restaurants, dining and walking to the game is a viable option.
Multiple fast-food options can quickly be found by traveling south on Judge Ely Boulevard, or east on Ambler Avenue. Among these options you will find McDonald’s, KFC, Braum’s, Rosa’s, Schlotzsky’s, Raising Cane’s, Taco Casa, Panda Express, and Jason’s Deli to name a few. For casual sit-down experiences in the same areas you can find Cracker Barrel, Chili’s, Chipotle, Blu Barrel Bar and Grill, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Other local favorites within a reasonable drive include Galveston Seafood Company, Oscar’s Mexican Food, Rock and Rollerz Burgers, and Texas Flaming Grill. Or, another local favorite, a Texas top 50 barbecue joint, is Jay’s BBQ Shack on South 11th Street.
For fine dining, a few suggestions that require a bit longer of a drive include The Beehive, Taylor County Taphouse, and Perini’s Steakhouse, among many more. Perini’s is located in Buffalo Gap, approximately 30 minutes south of Abilene, where the owner, Tom Perini, is famous for serving presidents, governors, and celebrities – his meals provide some of the best bites of food you will ever eat.
When coming to see a game here, the author’s suggestion is to take advantage of some of the local restaurants, especially Jay’s BBQ, Galveston Seafood, or Texas Flaming Grill, for meals instead of counting on ballpark cuisine.
Fans 3
Wildcat fans are known to be loyal. They are generally neither rude nor confrontational, but get loud, cheer success, and expect to be competitive in all athletic endeavors. As the university has grown, and their athletic programs have moved up in competition, the number of regional rivalries has diminished, yet there are a few that remain. Smaller college baseball crowds are generally referred to as “family and girlfriend” crowds, with limited student attendance. ACU is no different, with rare occasions where large groups of students are in attendance for games. This leads to a quieter, less confrontational group at Crutcher Scott Field.
Access 5
Abilene Christian University’s athletic complex is located mere blocks off Interstate 20 in Abilene, Texas, via exit 288 at the corner of Ambler Avenue and Judge Ely Boulevard. With Abilene Regional Airport a mere 12 minutes’ drive away, the university is easily accessible whether you are flying or driving into town. If flying commercial, you will be forced to utilize American Eagle with connections to DFW Airport; Abilene Regional allows private planes as well. There are multiple rental car agencies at the airport to choose from, in addition to ride share services, but public transportation is not a reasonable option within Abilene.
Parking near Crutcher Scott Field is plentiful since it is shared with the football and basketball facilities. I would avoid parking along the fence directly in front of the stadium, however, as this is the first base side of the field, and is thus prime territory for foul balls off the bat of right-handed batters. Parking is free for all baseball games, and in the event of a sell-out might become tight, but the parking lot extends for nearly half a mile, and businesses across the street from “The Crutch" also allow you to park for free.
Once inside the venue, there is access to reserved seating behind home plate via ramps on either side of the concessions/restroom facility. Access to general admission seating along either baseline is available via a brick stairway on the first base (home) side, or via a long wheelchair ramp on the third base (visitor) side. There is also an elevator granting access to the concourse above the first base general admission seating – the elevator is located beyond the brick stairwell, using the entrance to the Wessel Player Development Center.
Return On Investment 4
Single game general admission tickets cost $10, while reserved tickets are $15. The quality of the mesh folding seats in the reserved section behind the plate, compared to the plastic theatre seating along the first base line or in the bleachers down the third base line, is worth the extra charge unless the game is on a hot day, in which case the GA seats in the shade are far more desirable than anything in the sun.
Parking around Crutcher Scott Field is free for everyone, which is always a welcome feature. With concession prices allowing a couple to eat for less than $20, the return on investment of attending an ACU baseball game is well above average.
Extras 4
The abundance of shaded general admission seating for all games is well worth extra recognition. Late-season games can be hot, with temperatures reaching into the mid-90s, so comfortable seating that gives protection from the sun is a welcome relief.
The ability to bring in food and drinks from outside restaurants is also worth extra points. ACU policies state this is not allowed, but at all the games I’ve attended in the last few years, fans were able to bring in food and drink from outside, although they may enforce this policy more strictly in years to come.
Extra points are also given for the ultra-convenience of accessibility to the field here. Unless the opponent is a highly touted Power 4 school, there is plenty of parking within steps of the gate. In addition to the close parking, the amount of quality food, hotel, and shopping options within two minutes of the university create a convenient and easy-to-traverse setting.
Final Thoughts
Abilene Christian University baseball has grown into a top-notch program through facility improvements and quality play on the field. Through major investments by the university and from donors in the past decade, Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Park has transitioned from an average mid-major ballpark to a hidden gem with a bright future.
